Machines are common for stuffing meat into a casing and twisting the filled casing into links. For example, such machines are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,853 and in applicant's previous U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,115,668 and 3,835,503. Meat encasing machines generally include a stuffing station wherein the meat product is forced into the casing material and a linking station wherein the filled casing is crimped by pinching members and then twisted to form individual links. In the operation of a meat encasing machine, it is desirable to be able to vary the length of the link. Conventional machines typically change the length of the link by substituting one linking head for another which has fixed linking elements located at the proper increments on the linking chains. This method of altering the link length requires the machine to be stopped, thereby adding timely and costly delays to the process.
Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a method and means for linking encased meat products in which the length of the links can be altered without stopping and starting the machine.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a method and means for linking encased meat products which is operated continuously.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a method and means for linking encased meat products wherein the stuffing and linking stations are in a fixed position with respect to one another.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a method and means for linking encased meat products wherein the pinching members which form the links in the stuffed casing are slidably mounted with respect to one another.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of magnetic means for maintaining the pinching members in their adjustable positions on the linking apparatus.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a variable timed control device on the linking apparatus for releasing the pinching members into the linking station.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a linking apparatus for use on a meat encasing machine wherein the length of the links produced thereby can be easily adjusted.